


Brothers

by flaming_muse



Category: Glee
Genre: Episode Related, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-04-14
Updated: 2012-04-14
Packaged: 2017-11-03 15:43:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/383119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flaming_muse/pseuds/flaming_muse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Blaine had always been struck by how comfortable Finn and Kurt were with each other.</p><p>set during 3x15 ("Big Brother")</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brothers

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Deutsch available: [Brothers](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10946073) by [Klaineship](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Klaineship/pseuds/Klaineship)



Blaine made himself lower the volume of his music as he turned his car into Kurt’s neighborhood. Singing along with his favorite workout playlist - all powerful and angry songs, perfect for getting his heart and fists pounding in the gym - at full blast had been a great way to release some of the tense energy burning through him, but on a residential street it was rude to disturb others with the noise coming through his closed windows. He had to be respectful, and he had to calm down before he reached Kurt’s house, anyway. It was only right.

Of course, as soon as the music wasn’t so loud that it forced everything else out of its way, the rest of Blaine’s dark, frustrated thoughts swept back in like the tide. 

Cooper was back in town.

Blaine had been excited to see him today, just like he always had been since he was barely old enough to recognize his big brother’s face. He’d been antsy, too, because Cooper was who he was - famous, charismatic, handsome, self-centered, and ever-critical - but it had still felt special that his brother had wanted to come take him to lunch as soon as he was home. _Blaine_ had felt special.

Of course, then somehow Coop had ended up in the choir room and had taken center stage in their duet as _always_ (Blaine still remembered their first performance on Mrs. Yates’ patio for the neighborhood kids and how she’d praised Cooper for being such a good singer and dancer and so, so kind to his little brother to let him tag along and try to keep up with the steps), and Kurt had been barely able to take his eyes off of him, and then there had been all of those negative comments at lunch, and Coop’s stupid fake accent, and that Master Class tomorrow, and...

Blaine took a deep breath and turned onto Kurt’s street. Despite all of that, Cooper had said he wanted them to get closer. Blaine had always wanted that. He’d always wanted to be _friends_ with Cooper, be able to hang out and share ideas like equals, not be talked down to or humored. He’d wanted to have someone who got him, who understood what it was like to grow up in his family without having to explain it. He’d wanted Cooper to see that he had ideas and strengths, too. He’d wanted Cooper to show him that basic respect brothers should have for each other.

Maybe they were finally at the right age where the years between them didn’t matter so much. He got why seven-year-old Blaine might have been annoying to a teenager, but they’d both grown up and weren’t the kids they once had been. They were beyond the basketball hoop being too tall for Blaine or the video games being too hard. They were beyond Coop only wanting to take his kid brother for a walk or trot him out with a new duet to get the neighborhood girls’ attention. They were beyond Blaine needing to prove to Cooper he was just as talented and Cooper never thinking he was good enough. The second part might still be true, but the first part wasn't; Blaine _knew_ he was talented now. He knew he could captivate an audience with his skill and charisma... at least most of the time.

Cooper was successful and happy in his career, and Blaine had come into his own in high school, both at Dalton and McKinley. He was a leader in a show choir going to Nationals, and he was only a junior. Maybe this was the time where they could face each other man to man and be the brothers they were supposed to be instead of the antagonists they’d always been.

Maybe.

Blaine parked his car in front of Kurt’s house and scrubbed his hands over his face before getting out. He didn’t want to think about his brother anymore. This was his time with Kurt, and after the way the day had rubbed Blaine raw a soothing afternoon doing whatever was on Kurt’s list sounded good. Blaine hoped wistfully Kurt might have a new idea for a musical; he loved getting to sing together. But then he loved doing everything with Kurt, and he’d even happily try out another of Kurt’s homemade purifying masks, despite the way the last one had smelt way too much like grass clippings, to have a nice afternoon with him.

Slinging his bookbag over his shoulder, Blaine went up the front walk and rang the doorbell. He knew Carole kept telling him that he could just go inside, but even if his manners would have allowed the liberty there was still something really special about going up to his boyfriend’s house and being asked in by his family. It made him feel welcome not just by Kurt, though that Kurt _wanted_ to share his family with Blaine was also a gift that Blaine kept tucked deep in his heart, but by everyone there.

It was Finn who answered the door, a dusting of flour on his rugby shirt and a smile on his face. “Hey, dude! Come on in.”

“Thanks,” Blaine said. He set his bag on the floor out of the way after he was inside and listened for a hint of where Kurt might be; there was usually music wherever he was, either from his iPod or his own voice.

“Kurt’s in the kitchen,” Finn said. “He’s making those muffin top things, and he promised to do a double batch of blueberry for me if I helped.”

Blaine’s mouth watered; he loved Kurt’s baking, especially the muffin tops. They were sweet and moist with perfect crunchy edges, and Kurt used the biggest fresh blueberries and this amazing cinnamony streusel topping. “Those are awesome,” he said with feeling.

“I know, right? Whoever came up with muffin tops is a genius. It’s, like, _all_ the best part of the muffin with none of the boring bottom part.”

“Genius,” Blaine agreed.

“Finn Aloysius Hudson,” Kurt’s strident voice came from the direction of the kitchen, “if you don’t get back into the kitchen in the next sixty seconds to help me with this I’m going to make the next batch carrot-bran.”

“Uh oh,” Finn said, looking over his shoulder. “We’d better - “ He jerked his head toward the kitchen.

Blaine nodded and followed. “I didn’t know your middle name was Aloysius.”

“It’s not,” Finn said. “He just likes making up new ones for me when he’s annoyed. He says they have a better rhythm when he yells them.” He shrugged. “It’s just one of those Kurt things.”

Blaine’s acknowledging “Mmm” was a little wistful; Finn sounded amused, like even when Kurt was frustrated with him it was cool because it was Kurt. But then Blaine felt the same way, even if in his case it was because he was in love. Maybe Finn was, too - not _in love_ with Kurt, but he loved Kurt, and that made up for any quirks he might have. Blaine wished it were always that simple in families, that love made up for everything else.

“I keep telling you that you don’t have to have a little chat with the UPS guy when he drops off - “ Kurt looked over his shoulder and stopped, his frown turning into a delighted smile at the sight of Blaine; it made Blaine’s heart flip, just like it always did. “Blaine!” He looked over at the clock. “I didn’t expect you for another half hour.”

“I was done early,” Blaine said, lingering in the doorway to stay out of the way while Finn tromped in and put a fresh tray in front of where Kurt was working at the counter. “Is that okay?”

Kurt shot him another smile. “Of course it’s okay. I’m making most of these to freeze for those mornings when pouring milk on cereal is too much of a time commitment for Finn for breakfast, but with another pair of hands I could make a few more batches to share at our Master Class tomorrow.”

Blaine blinked, his hand tensing into a fist and relaxing at his side without his conscious thought. “You want to make muffins for the acting class?”

“Low-fat whole grain muffin _tops_ ,” Kurt replied. “It might make Cooper understand how much we appreciate him taking the time out of his busy schedule to talk to us if we bring refreshments.”

“I’d totally feel appreciated,” Finn said.

“The timer is about to ring,” Kurt told him. “Put them to cool there, and put that tray in next.” He carefully measured out some more batter. “Given all of this, I expect you to feel _very_ appreciated, Finn.”

“I do,” Finn said, quite seriously following Kurt’s instructions.

“I don’t think we need refreshments for the class,” Blaine said.

“You could be right. He might be on a low-carb diet,” Kurt mused. “I mean, did you see him? You don’t look like that without working at it.”

Finn retracted his hand from where he’d been about to pick at a baked muffin top. Blaine’s fist clenched and released again.

“What about one of those vegetable platter things you always make for parties that only the girls eat?” Finn suggested. “That could be good, right? I mean, not tasty-good, but healthy-good.”

“You really don’t have to do anything special for him,” Blaine said, trying not to sound too annoyed, but the idea of Kurt baking for _Cooper_ just felt _wrong_.

“Blaine, he’s the freecreditratingtoday.com guy, and he’s _coming to our Glee club_ to talk to us and give us professional tips,” Kurt said over his shoulder. “He’s a national figure. He’s _famous_ on the _internet_. This is an _event_.”

“He’s just my brother,” Blaine said to Kurt’s back.

“Which is obviously how we managed to get this amazing opportunity in the first place.” Kurt finished another tray of muffin tops and brushed his hands off on a towel. He turned around, smiling at Blaine again. “So thank you.”

“Yeah, I don’t really have a lot of control over who my brother is,” Blaine said, looking over at the table because he just didn’t want to see the light in Kurt’s eyes. Normally it was one of his favorite things when Kurt was all sparkly and excited, but the reason being Cooper dulled the glow in Blaine’s heart about it.

“None of us does.” Kurt snapped the end of the towel at Finn, who was bringing a handful of blueberries up to his mouth. “Stop eating those. They’re for the muffins!”

“Sorry,” Finn mumbled around the mouthful he was already chewing.

“Oh my god.” Kurt took the collender of blueberries and moved it over to the other side of himself. “Now I’m reminded why we don’t bake together.”

Finn swallowed. “I thought it was because that time you made that fancy cake with all of the shavings on top of it for whatever holiday it was and I accidentally knocked it onto the floor and tried cleaning it up but couldn’t get it off the cabinets and you weren’t here to help so it dried on and there were ants and - “

Kurt held up a hand, a pained expression on his face. “Yes, thank you. That image is burned into my brain forever.”

Finn grinned a little tentatively. “Cool.” He popped the rest of the blueberries in his hand into his mouth. “So what’s next?”

“I think... hmm.” Kurt looked around at the trays of cooling muffin tops. “One more double batch of blueberry for you. Maybe blueberry-walnut, actually, since there aren’t enough berries here now.” He reached into a cabinet and got a bag of shelled walnuts. “Blaine, would you mind chopping these, please? I don’t like giving Finn sharp objects if I can avoid it.”

“You cut yourself _one_ time...” Finn muttered.

“You had to have stitches, Finn.”

“Just the glue kind.”

“Sure,” Blaine said, pushing away from the doorway and taking the bag. Doing a little forceful manual labor sounded good, actually; baking bread would have been even better, all of that kneading and pounding and throwing of dough.

Kurt skimmed his palm down Blaine’s arm as he handed him a cutting board. “Thank you.” He pulled a knife out of the block and brought that to Blaine as well, getting him settled at the kitchen table. “And you’re probably right about the refreshments. I wouldn’t want him to think we were there for any other reason than to listen to his advice.”

“Right,” Blaine said shortly, tearing into the bag.

The problem with chopping was that Blaine ended up being an audience to Kurt and Finn working together instead of being part of the action. So as he carefully worked on his task - because he was nowhere near as proficient with a chef’s knife as Kurt was, and he knew he’d lose his helping privileges if he slipped and hurt himself - he was treated to the ebb and flow of their conversation, part teasing and part a dance around the kitchen like they were used to how the other one worked. Finn knew to get out of the way when Kurt turned with the hot trays in his potholder-clad hands; Kurt stepped back for Finn to reach the grater on the top shelf without having to ask him for it. They did it all so easily.

Blaine had always been struck by how comfortable Finn and Kurt were with each other. They hadn’t been brothers for all that long, really; they’d barely been brothers at all by the time Blaine met Finn, and yet there had been an ease to their relationship that he’d admired. He remembered them talking and dancing at Rachel’s party, working together on wedding planning, even the way Finn had hugged Kurt when he’d returned to McKinley, like he was truly happy to have him there with him where he belonged. Blaine remembered how touched Kurt had been at his parents’ wedding that Finn had made an effort to reach out to him in specific; Blaine understood that feeling deep in his bones, because he’d always wanted a similar effort of good will and affection directed at him. They were nothing alike apart from having a love of music in their hearts (and an affection for one Miss Rachel Berry), but somehow they still worked together.

But maybe it was different. Finn and Kurt had to _become_ brothers. It took more effort than just being born that way. And they didn’t have all of those years separating them, either. Nor did they have the history. They just knew that if they wanted to become a family they had to make it happen.

Still, even knowing that Cooper had extended him an olive branch over lunch, it was hard for Blaine to watch these two boys who were only related through marriage have things that he wanted so badly with his own blood brother: camaraderie, understanding, support, friendship.

He shook his head and focused on his task. It didn’t matter. He didn’t need that from Cooper. He’d done just fine without it. He wanted it to work out, but Coop had made a lot of promises over the years that hadn’t turned out the way Blaine had wanted, from forming their own boy band to coming home for birthdays. He was used to it.

And Finn was being nice to him again, too, so it was sort of like he was Blaine’s brother by association through Kurt, which was something. It was certainly a lot better than it had been when Blaine had first transferred and Finn had been so rude to him and had made Blaine ache that much more for the steady fraternity of the Warblers, not that he had that anymore, either, but...

It was fine. He was fine. He just had to pay attention to what he was doing with that very sharp knife or else Kurt was going to stop baking, and nobody who had working taste buds wanted that.

Finally the muffins were all finished and cooling, the dishes were done, and Kurt took off his apron and brushed the motes of flour off of his outfit. He looked over at the clock and made a thoughtful sound. “Finn?” he called into the living room where Finn had just gone to sprawl on the couch in front of the TV. “Blaine’s going to help me pick out an outfit for tomorrow. We’ll be upstairs.”

“Okay,” Finn called back, waving his hand above the couch. “I’ll let you know if I hear Mom’s car pulling in early.”

“Thank you.” With a satisfied smile, Kurt raised his eyebrows and offered his hand to Blaine, who quite willingly took it. He knew Carole was due home only in a half hour or so, and they certainly weren’t going to do anything particularly adventurous with that time constraint and with Finn wandering around the house, but if Kurt wanted to go up to his room then Blaine was _very_ on board with that idea.

He was also totally on board with the way Kurt curled his arms around Blaine’s neck and brought their mouths together once the door was partway closed behind them and their shoes were off. Blaine sighed softly into the kiss, slipping his arms around Kurt’s waist and running his hands up his strong back; it was amazing to him how merely touching Kurt always took away some of whatever knot of tension was twisting inside him. His insecurities, his frustrations, everything that worried or hurt him, it all took a few steps back in the face of the proof that Kurt loved him in spite of it all. He shivered under Kurt’s touch, kissing him a bit harder, just because he knew Kurt would let him.

Kurt was smiling when he pulled back, that soft, gentle, intimate smile Blaine only saw directed at him. “I really do want your help with an outfit,” he said. His voice had a hint of that low husk to it that meant he was turned on, and he immediately leaned in for another kiss, this one longer and deeper. He cupped Blaine’s face as their tongues slid together, holding him close and making Blaine’s heart pound so hard it felt like it could beat out of his chest. Kurt always made him feel so _good_ , and not just physically. Kurt made him feel safe, no matter what else was going on in his head or his heart.

Pulling back again, Kurt kept his hands where they were, rubbing his thumbs gently over Blaine’s cheekbones. He just looked at Blaine’s face for a long moment, like he was something important and precious, and then - when Blaine’s heart was just about to burst with the tenderness of the gesture - Kurt said dreamily, “You’re so handsome now. I wonder if you’ll look even more like your brother when you’re his age.”

“What?” Blaine stumbled a step back, bumping into Kurt’s bed and sitting down hard on it. He couldn’t believe he’d just heard that. It was almost like being slapped or doused with a bucket of ice water. Kurt wanted him to look more like _Cooper_?

“I don’t know if I could take looking at that every day,” Kurt said, his hand going to his throat. He was still clearly caught up in the same thought. “I mean, I’d obviously be willing to _try_ , but... I suppose your face will mature gradually over time. I’ll be used to it by the time you get there.”

Blaine’s breath exploded out of him; he hadn’t realized he’d been holding it. “I - _What_?”

Kurt shook his head, coming out of the hazy dream in his head. “I’m just thinking aloud. Never mind.” He went over to his closet and threw open the doors. “Okay, what do you think says ‘I’m a serious actor’? Monochromatic? Color? Something artistic? I wonder if I own a beret. Or maybe something simple, like I’m a blank canvas ready to come to life?”

“Canvases don’t come to life,” Blaine said numbly. He wasn’t sure he could feel his fingers.

“You know what I mean.” Kurt began to sort through his wardrobe. “I want to make the right impression.”

“For Cooper.” Nope, Blaine could feel them; they curled into Kurt’s duvet beneath him and held tight.

“I want him to know I’m taking this very seriously.”

“It’s just one acting class,” Blaine reminded him.

Kurt pulled a bright red shirt out of the closet and held it up to his chest. “Taught by an experienced and highly regarded actor.” He put the shirt back. “No, I need something that sets me apart but doesn’t make it impossible for me to look like different characters. We should find something for you, too.”

“Well, he certainly regards _himself_ highly,” Blaine muttered. He’d known Kurt would be surprised at first by Cooper, because obviously Blaine knew about Kurt’s fixation with his commercials, but this was getting ridiculous. Also, his clothes were fine, thank you.

“And he should. I mean, look at him. Singing, dancing, acting. He’s a triple threat. Do you know how rare that is?”

 _I can do all of those things_ , Blaine almost said, but there didn’t seem to be much point. Kurt wasn’t even thinking about him. He traced the toe of his sock through the grain of Kurt’s rug, leaving a little line of fibers pointing in the other direction than all of the rest.

“I can’t believe he’s going to come and teach us.” His body taut with excitement, Kurt turned, a shirt in each hand. “Which one?”

“I don’t - “ Blaine shook his head, barely even able to notice the differences between them.

“You’re right. I need something from this season.” Kurt hummed to himself as he went back to work; it seemed to be “Rio,” though Blaine tried not to listen too closely as to which part he was singing. “You’re so lucky.”

“Why?”

“Think of all you’ve been able to learn from him over the years. I didn’t have Finn growing up, but even if I had I would’ve been taught about video games and belching contests. You were taught how to _perform_.”

That was enough.

Blaine knew Cooper was talented, probably even more talented than he was. Everybody had always said so. But Cooper hadn’t _taught_ him. Cooper had criticized him, teased him, and marginalized him. It had made Blaine better, sure, but only out of self-defense and a desire for approval he never seemed to be able to get even after Cooper wasn’t there to outshine him in person every day; Cooper had been doing even more exciting things once he’d moved away, and Blaine’s own accomplishments couldn’t quite compare.

Blaine had always known his brother was amazing; there’d been no way to escape that knowledge growing up with him in the same house. He had _eyes_ , after all. He didn’t need Cooper’s amazingness thrown in his face all over again. He didn’t want to hear about it from Kurt of all people. Kurt was supposed to be on _his_ side, not cooing over just how attractive and talented Cooper was, no matter how true and obvious those facts were. Hell, _Cooper_ was supposed to be on Blaine’s side.

“Can we please stop talking about my brother?” Blaine snapped, his whole body tensing with the need to get up and pace or maybe just leave entirely, but he knew there wasn’t anywhere he could go to escape the thoughts in his own head. “You’ll get to bask in his presence again tomorrow, so can we just save it?”

“Okay...” Kurt said slowly. He hooked a hanger with a pair of mustard pants over the top of his door. “I’m sorry.” But he didn’t sound sorry; he sounded confused.

Blaine shook his head. He couldn’t explain. He couldn’t talk about this any more. All he wanted was a nice afternoon with his boyfriend who loved him and who sometimes, when Blaine was very lucky, looked at him with stars in his eyes. He wanted those stars so badly right now.

“Blaine?”

“I just want to drop it,” Blaine told him.

Kurt watched him, worried, but all he said was, “Okay.”

“Thank you.”

“So... did I tell you we decided on a plan for Senior Ditch Day?” Kurt asked with forced lightness, coming over to sit beside him on the bed.

“No,” Blaine replied. He took a slow breath and tried to focus. “What’s going on?”

“We’re going to Six Flags. Roller coasters, bumper cars, cotton candy...” Kurt leaned in, a twinkle in his eye and his voice a purr full of temptation. “We can sneak off and reenact that amazing makeout session we had that night I came to see you sing last summer.”

“We who?” Blaine asked. Who on earth was Kurt going to make out with in his place? (A mean little voice in his head whispered ‘Cooper’; Blaine ignored it.)

Kurt bumped Blaine’s shoulder with his own. “You and me. Lots of underclassmen are going with us. Tina, Rory... I thought you would want to, too.” He met Blaine’s gaze in question. “It’s Six Flags. And me.” He shrugged a little, a touch of vulnerability in his eyes.

“Kurt...” Blaine reached over to take one of Kurt’s hands, stroking his thumb over Kurt’s knuckles. “I don’t know. I don’t think I’m going to be in a very good mood this week.” And if he was going to be stuck for a full day with all of the Glee kids in rapture over Cooper he’d almost rather be in math class.

“Roller coasters make everything better,” Kurt told him. “Or so someone wise told me once. I tried to explain that he only felt that way because his hair doesn’t move even a stiff wind, but he assured me the fun of a roller coaster made up for the messy hair the rest of us would be forced to suffer from it.”

Blaine thought about the bliss of getting to spend the day with Kurt running around an amusement park with all of their friends, going on rides and eating awesome carnival food, maybe stealing a kiss at the top of the ferris wheel or winning an enormous stuffed animal for Kurt that would make him roll his eyes when he took it and squeeze it fondly when he thought no one was looking...

But it was _Kurt’s_ Senior Ditch Day. Because Kurt was a senior, Kurt was graduating, Kurt was leaving, and Blaine was not. Blaine was going to be here for another year, but not even _here_ in this home that welcomed him, because Finn and Kurt were graduating and Mr. Hummel was going to Washington, and Blaine would be stuck in his own echoing house with his parents and their stupid shrine to Cooper in the basement, and he’d have nothing to do but stare at it and build his own shrine to Kurt in his room because his whole _life_ was going away and he wasn’t old enough to follow and keep up and -

“I can’t,” Blaine said. “I can’t go do that.” He couldn’t go celebrate all of that, because as much fun as a roller coaster might be it didn’t make up for the fact that he was losing everything, even the admiration in Kurt’s eyes that Blaine now had to share with his brother.

Kurt drew himself up, not fully, not like he was totally withdrawing, but enough that Blaine could see that he wasn’t happy. “You _can’t_?”

“No. I’m... I wouldn’t be good company, Kurt,” Blaine said.

“You’re always good company to me,” Kurt said softly.

Blaine shook his head, feeling the sadness sinking deep into his bones. He couldn’t even have the next couple of months of greatness he was supposed to before everything went away. He couldn’t have that, because Cooper was here, making everyone look at charming, handsome, wonderful him instead.

Kurt nodded, his gaze drifting down to their linked hands. “You have time to change your mind.”

Blaine wanted to give Kurt everything. He wanted to say yes to everything, to fulfill his every wish and dream. It ate at him every day that he couldn’t, that he just wasn’t able to buy him those Louboutins or make NYADA accept him. This was another instance of where he couldn’t meet Kurt’s wishes, not on his own.

Maybe this time with Cooper things would actually be different. He’d said he wanted to be closer. Maybe now they actually could become real brothers, partners, equals. Maybe they could sing a duet and share the spotlight; Blaine loved to share it as long as he wasn’t pushed out of it. He just wanted to work _together_ and be supported and supportive. Wasn’t that the point of performing? Wasn’t that the point of _family_?

Maybe this time would be different, and he’d lose this frustration that was bubbling up and burning inside of him. He just wasn’t going to hold his breath. Or make promises about going on a trip that would be a misery if he still was feeling this upset.

“I’ll think about it,” Blaine told him, and Kurt squeezed his hand with a tiny, grateful smile.

“Thank you.” Kurt leaned into him, shoulder to shoulder. “It might even cheer you up.”

Blaine nudged up against Kurt’s sock-clad foot with his toes; Kurt nudged his foot right back. “Maybe.”

“The eagle has landed!” Finn called up the stairs.

“Okay!” Kurt turned toward the door and called back.

“Kurt, come on! That’s not what you’re supposed to say!” Finn yelled.

Kurt sighed, his shoulders slumping with resignation. “Roger that!”

“What is he talking about?” Blaine asked.

“He thinks we need code words,” Kurt explained with a laugh and a little roll of his eyes. “That means Carole pulled in the driveway. I still don’t understand why he can’t just say that instead.”

“Oh.” Blaine took a breath and tried to cram down all of his emotions so that he could present a polite face to Kurt’s parents. He couldn’t feel this raw in front of them. It wasn’t their problem. It wasn’t anyone’s problem but his own. It wasn’t even actually a problem. It just _was_.

“We have a minute,” Kurt said, still watching him in that quiet way he had that was sometimes unnerving but mostly kind of nice because it meant he cared that much and wanted to see every bit of Blaine, even the bad parts. “It’s Carole; she won’t mind. Or tell my dad where we were.” He smoothed his hand along the neck of Blaine’s cardigan, then lightly gripped it at its buttons and tugged at him; there was no strength behind it - probably out of care for the fabric - and Blaine could easily have resisted, but he didn’t want to. He leaned in and let Kurt kiss him, just a soft, lingering press of the lips that was so wonderfully sweet and warm and yet not nearly enough to soothe the ache in Blaine’s chest, so it left him jittery instead of calm.

Kurt pulled back just enough to rub the tip of his nose against Blaine’s, his breath still fanning Blaine’s mouth. His eyes were impossibly beautiful this close, and if there had been time Blaine could have gotten lost in them and forgotten everything else.

“I love you,” Blaine murmured, wishing with all of him that Kurt had said it first right then. Not that it mattered, really, because Kurt said it first a lot. Blaine just would have liked the reassurance that he was the top thing in Kurt’s heart and mind in that moment.

But still Kurt smiled and replied without hesitation. “I love you, too.” Blaine would never get tired of hearing it. Not ever, not from him.

Kurt brushed his mouth against Blaine’s cheek and then pulled all the way back, standing up and taking his hand. “Come on. We can do our outfit planning later. Carole’s going to want to hear all about Cooper. You know how she feels about those commercials!”

“Yeah,” Blaine said with a sigh, getting up. He did; she was almost as bad as Kurt. He knew there was no stopping the conversation ahead.

“Do you think we could get him to autograph a picture for her?” Kurt asked, pulling him out the door. “Oh my god, do you think he could _come over_? No, no, that would be insanity. He’s probably so busy.” Kurt looked back up the stairs at him. “Right? Insanity?”

“Insanity,” Blaine echoed.

Kurt kept going down the stairs, Blaine trailing along more slowly. “Never mind, then. We shouldn’t even mention it as a possibility. I don’t want to get her hopes up just to dash them on the rocks of the reality of the crazy schedule that comes with fame.”

“Yeah,” Blaine said, wondering if Cooper would even care that his brother’s boyfriend’s step-mother might want to meet him; he probably would, because he seemed to love being the absolute center of attention. He always had. He loved that more than anything or anyone. “There’s nothing worse than getting your hopes up.”


End file.
